Lead Specification for Old Town
Lead work on Old Town properties must be specified for Eastbourne's coastal salt air. Lime mortar mandatory, matched historic tile sourcing, listed building consent may be required. Code 5 minimum on all chimney step and cover flashings (Code 4 is adequate inland but underspecified here), Code 5 or 6 for valley linings and parapet gutters, and patination oil applied to all new lead within 24 hours. Patination oil retards the early oxidation cycle that, unchecked in salt air, produces organic acids that accelerate corrosion significantly.
Correct installation technique matters as much as correct specification. Individual step flashings cut per mortar course — not single-piece over the chimney. Cover flashing turned into a raked mortar joint and wedged at 500mm centres. Valley lead lapped and weighted correctly. All of these details are correct practice that shortcuts produce failures within 10–15 years.
Lead Work We Carry Out in Old Town
Chimney step and cover flashing replacement, valley lead lining, bay window flat section lead, parapet gutter re-lining, and soaker installation for plain tile roofs. All work is photographed before and after; the installation record forms part of the 10-year guarantee documentation.
Lead Work Costs for Old Town
Lead Work Costs — Old Town
| Chimney step & cover flashing (Code 5) | £350–£700 |
| Apron flashing replacement | £200–£450 |
| Valley lead lining (per linear metre) | £80–£150/m |
| Parapet gutter re-lining | £450–£1,200 |
| Bay window lead flat section | £300–£700 |
Patination oil applied to all new lead as standard. Code 5 minimum on all Old Town coastal positions. Free surveys across Old Town.